Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Update

It has been a pleasure to serve as guest editor for this issue of Seminars in Musculoskeletal Radiology. It updates some of the more important applications and addresses new developments in musculoskeletal ultrasound. Unlike other musculoskeletal ultrasound issues or articles, I chose to deviate from the common joint-based organization and instead to arrange the material based on focused topics. In addition, I decided to shorten the length of each article to allow 14 topics to be discussed in a succinct fashion. I am pleased that some of the best known experts in the field have contributed to this issue.

The first four topics focus on the upper extremity and begin at the shoulder, where Catherine Tagg, Alastair Campbell, and Eugene McNally discuss the use of ultrasound in the diagnosis of shoulder impingement. This is followed by Ronald Adler who addresses the very important and difficult topic of the postoperative rotator cuff. Moving to the elbow, Monica Kalume Brigido, Michel De Maeseneer, and Yoav Morag discuss the anatomy and pathology of the distal biceps brachii tendon, where they review the various ultrasound techniques to visualize the distal tendon. Philippe Peetrons and Wafa Derbali then review ultrasound of carpal tunnel syndrome and discuss the various sonographic criteria used for this diagnosis.

The next five topics address important diagnoses in the lower extremity, beginning with ultrasound of the athletic groin as reviewed by Rob Campbell. This is followed by Andrea Klauser et al who examine the ultrasound evaluation of greater trochanteric pain syndrome. Joseph Craig reviews the important topic of the postoperative hip and discusses the role of diagnostic and interventional ultrasound. Theodore Miller considers ultrasound of the patellar tendon, one of the more common applications for ultrasound of the knee. At the foot and ankle, Corrie Yablon shares her experience of ultrasound-guided interventions and includes important concepts associated with any ultrasound-guided procedure.

The final five articles cover miscellaneous topics and include the use of ultrasound in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, as summarized by Andrew Grainger and Emma Rowbotham, as well as ultrasound of crystal deposition disease and psoriatic arthritis, as discussed by Philip O'Connor. Finally, several focused interventional musculoskeletal ultrasound topics are addressed that include ultrasound-guided treatment of calcific tendinopathy of the shoulder by Nathalie Bureau, ultrasound-guided tendon fenestration by Meg Chiavaras and Jon Jacobson, and a review of platelet-rich plasma injection by Kenneth Lee.

I am pleased that the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound continues to grow and has become another important tool in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal pathology. The use of ultrasound to guide many musculoskeletal procedures adds additional accuracy and safety. I would like to thank the authors for their excellent contributions that provide a background and an update of some of the more critical applications of musculoskeletal ultrasound.